Method of and apparatus for steam-heating



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet l.

M. S. POOTE.

. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STEAM HEATING. No; 294,982. Patented Mar. 11,1884.

WITNESSES M P zfarney YERS. Pbum-Limo nmr, Washington. 0 c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. s. POOTE,

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STEAM HEATING. No. 294,982. A Patented Mar. 11, 1884.

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NI'TED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

MARK S. FOOTE, OF BURLINGTON, IOYVA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STEAM-HEATING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,982, dated March 11, 1 884. Application filed June 30, 1883. (No model.)

.To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARK S. FooTE, of Burlington, county of Des Moines', State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Method of and Apparatus for Steam-Heating; and I declare the following to'be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in the combination of devices and appliances hereinafter specified, and more particularlypointed outin the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating my-invention. Fig. 2 is a separate view of a pump-cylinder designed for illustrating the principle of my invention. Fig. 3

' is a side elevation of the complete plant.

Heretofore in steam-supply systems it has been customary to raise steam in one or more boilers or generators, bringing it to a considerable pressure, and in that condition passing it off through the mains and service-pipes, for the purpose of yielding heat or steam for power in various parts of the surrounding district, and in some heating apparatus engines have been used for impelling the heated fluid. In those devices,'however, a great consumption of fuel is necessitated, and powerful generators, in order to generate and manage the steam under high pressure sufficient to cause it to circulate throughout the system. It is the object of my invention to generate steam in boilers at a low pressure 'of a few pounds, and yet to feed that steam into and cause it to circulate through the mains and service-pipes at a high pressure.

To accomplish this object, A represents a series of boilers. 13 represents a steam-pipe leading therefrom to the mains 0. D is anintermediate pump. E is a steam-engine or other suitable motive power for driving the said pump. The engine 15 is supplied with steam through pipe E from a high-pressure generator, It will be understood, however, that instead of the engine 13, any other power of like capacity may be employed for operating the pump D-as, for instance, a waterwheel or other device-it only being necessary that the power at E for driving the pump shall be greater than the pressure of steam in the generators A. The pump D is designed to 7 pump steam from the generators A, taking it at a low pressure, compressing it in the cylinder D, and passing it off into the main 0 at a higher pressure than that of the generator A, and in this way the steam is caused to circulate through the mains and service-pipes C, instead of creating such circulation by high pressure of steam in the generators A. In Fig. 2 is shown the principle of such a pump cylinder, D being a suitable valve-rod for opcrating the Valves D and D, which are suitable pump-valves, and G the mains and service-pipes, and D valves therein. The steam circulating throughthe mains and servicepipes may eventually escape in the form of steam or condensed water through a suitable drip. I prefer, however, to return thesame to the boiler either by a pump or directly, as

employed for driving the pump, the exhaust from this engine may also be utilized by permitting its exhaust-pipe E to discharge back into the generators A, the exhaust-pipes being connected thereto in any ordinary way known to machinists-as, for instance, by extending the pipe E as shown in Fig. 3; or, if desired, it may discharge into the main C, being connected thereto in any well-known way--as, for instance, by a pipe shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3-providing the back pressure from the main is not too great for economical work.

I would have it understood that my inven\ tion contemplates, broadly, the employment of a pump or other suitable means whereby steam may be taken from generators at a low pressure and forced forward through themains, thus deriving circulation by the pump or other forcing mechanism and not by the pressure of the steam in the generator. plates, broadly, the forcing of the steam from It also contemgenerators at a low pressure into the mains at a higher pressure, in the latter case securing a circulation not only by the forcing action of the pump,but by the increased pressure within the mains.

My invention also contemplates a process for steam-supply systems embodying a pump or forcing means for artificially creating a circulation beyond that produced by the pressure within the generator.

I do not limit myself to any particular kind of pump or means for operating the pump, and instead of the pump a power-fan or any other mechanism forforcing the steam forward may be employed, the drawings being designed simply to illustrate the principle of my invention. The effect of compressing the steam in the cylinder of the pump is to increase its heat, and there is therefore a denble benefit attained: first, of securing a high pressure and circulation in the main without a corresponding pressure in the generator, and, secondly, an increase in the heat as the steam is forced into the mains.

I am aware of the patents granted to II. Picq, December 29, 1871, No. 158,305; to \V. \V. \Villiams, April 4, 1882, No. 256,089; I). F. Osborne, October 10, 1882, No. 265,697, and F. Tudor, August 21, 1883, No. 283,537; and to Bliss, July 3, 1877, No. 192,559, and lay no claim to anything therein shown and described. Myinvention differs therefrom in the particulars specified in the following claims.

"What I claim is 1. The process of supplying steam in a steanr supply system, consisting of, first, generating steam at a low pressure in suitable steam-generators, and then pumping or otherwise forcing said steam by an exterior power into and forward through the mains and service-pipes, thereby creating an artificial circulation, substantially as described.

2. The methodof supplyingsteam in a steamsupply system, consisting, first, of generating steam at a low pressure in steam-generators, and then passing the same through a pump operated by steam or other exterior power,

thereby pumping the steam forward through the mains and service-pipes, and thus creating an artificial circulation, substantially as described.

3. The method herein described for supply ing steam in a steam-supply system, consisting of, first, generating the steam at a low pressure in suitable generators, and then by a suitable pump or equivalent mechanism forcing the steam forward at a higher pressure into the service-pipes and mains, substantially as described.

4. In a steam-supply system, generators for generating steam at a low pressure, a pump or other mechanism adapted'to receive and force the steam forward under increased pressure into the mains, and a graduated valve or its equivalent for confining the steam within the main until it shall have reached a previously-determined degree, substantially as described.

5. In a steam-supply system, generators for generating steam at a low pressure, a pump or equivalent for receiving said steam and fore- -ing it forward under increased pressure into the mains, said main eventually discharging again into the generators, and a graduated valve or equivalent for regulatingthe pressure within the main, and adapted to open by excessive pressure and permit the steam or condensed water to discharge back into the generators, substantially as described.

6. In a steamsupply system, generators for generating steam at a low pressure, a pump for receiving and forcing said steam forward at an increased pressure, a steam-engine for actuating the pump, said steam-engine being fed from a steam-generator at a high pressure, and a conduit leading its exhaust-steam into the generators A or mains O of the steam-supply, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

MARK S. FOOTE.

\Vitnesses:

N. S. Wnrcnr, WILLIAM F. FORD. 

